Cincinnati Check-ups....

 Carter had multiple check-ups with his Doctors in Cincinnati this week.  He received great news from all of them.  They were all impressed at how well he looks and his weight gain.  They agreed we needed to switch up some of his medications to get rid of the stubborn infection.  They changed his medications up quite a bit, hopefully it will help and he will fight off this infection.  They also made changes to his formula, adding more calories.  They want him as chunky as possible before his next surgery.  I anticipate having a chunky monkey on my hands soon.  Carter's stomach and parts of his colon have still not woke up, but we still have hope that they will.  Overall it was a great trip and we received nothing but great news.  Carter's team of Doctors are going to get together and we will most likely come back in the next month or two for more check-ups.  We will be flying back to Jackson in the morning.

I know you have got to be wondering who this CUTE little girl is beside Carter.  It's Lily!  Lily has O.E.I.S Complex like Carter.  We were so excited when we got to meet up with them after our appointment today.  She is just precious and has the sweetest parents.  I have posted about her once before when she sent Carter flowers in the hospital.:) It was great to get to talk to someone dealing with the same condition.  Can you see the resemblance? They have the same color hair, same color eyes, same skin color and could pass as TWINS!  

 Carter 20 months.  Lily 16 months.

 Sweet babies!

After Carter's appointment today we had spare time, so we took him to the aquarium.  He LOVED the fish and birds, but was more interested in holding our hands and walking around.

 Come here bird! Come see Carter!

 Daddy Kisses!

Cincinnati Here We Come...

We are flying back to Cincinnati today for follow up appointments. Besides an infection that Carter has not been able to get rid of, he has done really well since being home. If all goes well, we will return on Saturday. Please pray for a smooth day of travel and great appointments. Thank you all so much for your prayers!

I took Carter to the park a few days ago and he LOVED it. Here are a few pictures. He is amazed by the flags!

This Is What Life Is All About!!!

Look who got his walker!  He absolutely loves it!  I am able to hook his backpack, that holds his feedings, onto the back of the walker and he is able to go around by himself.  This is the first time since September Carter has been able to go anywhere by himself!  He is so proud! 

It got delivered around 8p.m. so of course it was dark. However, that did not stop Carter.  As soon as Brandon put it together, he was outside walking…in the DARK.  Unfortunately, our house is not handicap accessible so he has to walk outside with it.  I don’t think Carter minds because he is just so happy to walk by himself.  I have to admit Brandon and I were both a little hesitant to let him have a walker.  We were both afraid that he would become reliant on it and never learn to walk on his own.  When we went to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, they brought in a walker for him and he took to it right away and did great with it.  Once we saw how much leg strength he was gaining and how happy it made him, we knew he had to have one. 

I do not think that putting a walker together for your child is ever anything you expect to have to do.  I thought that I would feel sad watching Carter walk with the walker.  Instead I feel such pride and joy knowing how happy it makes him and how much he has overcome to get to this point.  Just 6 months ago Carter could hardly hold your hand and stand.  Now he is walking by himself with a walker!  We serve a mighty God!  I will let the pictures write the rest of this post.  ENJOY!  

I have to admit this.  I am a Nurse NOT a physical therapist.  I had Carter walking the wrong way for the entire first day.  After reading the booklet that came with the walker I became informed that he should hold the red handles and he should stand straight up when walking.  Walking like he is in this picture will teach him to walk hunched over not standing up straight.  OOPS! 

 Look Daddy! I have a new walker!

Cool Dude!

So Proud!

These are the moments you live for!

Easter... A Little Late

Happy Late Easter!  Sorry for the late update.  On the days we do not have Doctor appointments, we have purposely taken time to spend with Carter to help him adjust and learn how to be home. He is still having a lot of anxiety when he gets in public or around groups of people.  We have started gradually taking him out of the house, but have to be mindful of germs and the fact he is purposely not up to date with all of his shots. We have taken him to a few restaurants and to the grocery store.  Each day he tends to get better. 

We spent Easter with my family, eating and hunting Easter eggs.  Carter did fairly well around all my family.  I purposely woke up early Saturday morning to read about the Death and Resurrection of Jesus.  As I read through the words I felt immense sympathy.  Not only for Jesus, but Mary his Mother.  Having to watch Carter go through so much pain and agony has been extremely hard, but nothing like what she had to watch.  I know Carter’s pain is to get him well.  Mary had to watch her son be beat, spit on and hung on a cross to die.  Hung on a cross to die!  Have you really ever thought about that? Hanging on a cross until your death!  How horrific and painful it must have been.  She had to watch all of these things so that Jesus could die for our sins. 

One verse that brought tears to my eyes was Mathew 26:39.  “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.  Yet not as I will, but as You will.”  Jesus knew that death was upon him.  He knew the pain and anguish he was about to face.  Even knowing all of this he said “Not as I will, but as You will.”  Meaning Jesus wanted it to be God’s will.  He knew God had a perfect plan and it took complete trust in Him for Jesus to go through the things he did with complete obedience. 

Carter’s pain and suffering does not come close to the pain and suffering Jesus had to endure.  However, I do know that there is a purpose and a plan for his life.  Just as God had a plan for Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, he made a plan for Carter.  I know Carter’s plan is nothing in comparison to the plan for Jesus.  I just know he has a plan for him and I am honored to get to watch it unravel. 

This story along with many others in the Bible keep me going.  Knowing that God will never leave and that he has a specific purpose for each of us.  Knowing wholeheartedly that Carter was put here just as he is for a reason. It was nothing I did.  It was nothing Brandon did.  It is the Journey God intends for us to travel. I have to say that even through all of the suffering, restless nights, stress and pain that I would have it no other way. If it were not for OEIS Complex, I would not have my Carter.  Even though I have prayed and pleaded with God to take every aspect of the OEIS Complex away from Carter, I thank Him.  I thank Him for choosing Carter to have OEIS Complex, he knew that Carter would be strong enough to fight through it and Carter does it with a smile on his face.  Because of what Jesus did for us, all of us, I am able to sit here knowing that no matter how much pain, suffering and torturing my innocent child has to go through in the world, he will only be here a short period of time.  This is only a temporary place and one day his pain will be taken from him and Oh how I can not wait to see the day! Because He is who he His and He did what He did I know my child will have an everlasting and pain free life and I am forever grateful!  As always…to Him be the Glory!

The Easter Bunny brought Carter a splash table and a lot of other goodies.  Carter is a water baby!  He absolutely loved the water table and it only took minutes before he was sitting in the water table playing.

One Minute...

 Two Minutes...

 Three Minutes...

 Four Minutes...

And we're in!!!

The Easter Bunny was VERY good to Carter this year!  Can you tell he loves anything to do with water?

Carter is so strong!  From the pictures you would never know Carter has been battling an infection since we have been home.  He started running a fever this past weekend and we managed him all weekend with Tylenol until we saw our Pediatrician on Monday.  He had a culture taken from his Malone site and we should know the results tomorrow.  Please pray that the antibiotics Carter is currently taking will treat the infection properly.  We do not want to go back to the hospital for IV antibiotics.  Carter goes to the Doctor at least once a week right now and we will return to Cincinnati on April 26^th.  I am happy to say that he has maintained his weight!  Please continue to pray for Carter.  Pray for his stomach and for the rest of his intestines to wake up.  Thank you so much for all of your continued and faithful prayers!  It is so nice to know we are not alone on this Journey!

Who hunts eggs without sunglasses?

 Happy Easter from the Cline’s!